.45 ACP vs .40 S&W - Price, Recoil & Ballistics Compared

Side-by-side price comparison with live market data

Current Prices

Metric.45 ACP.40 S&W
Lowest Price$0.352/rd$0.260/rd
Midpoint (per product)$0.870/rd$0.580/rd
Range / practice midpoint$0.480/rd$0.384/rd
Defensive / premium midpoint$1.12/rd$0.950/rd
Highest Price$3.70/rd$3.03/rd
Products Tracked443504
Retailers2121

Prices reflect 30-day observed in-stock data across tracked online retailers. Updated daily.

.45 ACP

Observed 30-day price distribution

IronScout provides observed price and availability data for .45 ACP ammo prices ammunition across tracked online retailers. Data reflects historical price observations and does not include purchase recommendations.

Observed 30-Day Price Range (Per Round): median: 0.870, lowest: 0.352, highest: 3.697, sample size: 11499.

Lowest observed price in the trailing 7-day window: 0.352.

Prices last updated September 26, 2026 · 443 listings tracked across 21 retailers · 31 days with data in the 30-day window

How we calculate this

SQL PERCENTILE_CONT over daily-best per-product-per-day observed in-stock prices

  • Daily-best is MIN(price_per_round) per (caliber, product, UTC day).
  • Only in-stock observations included.
  • Coverage varies by retailer and source.
View 443 tracked .45 ACP products →

.40 S&W

Observed 30-day price distribution

IronScout provides observed price and availability data for .40 S&W ammo prices ammunition across tracked online retailers. Data reflects historical price observations and does not include purchase recommendations.

Observed 30-Day Price Range (Per Round): median: 0.580, lowest: 0.260, highest: 3.030, sample size: 13067.

Lowest observed price in the trailing 7-day window: 0.260.

Prices last updated September 26, 2026 · 504 listings tracked across 21 retailers · 31 days with data in the 30-day window

How we calculate this

SQL PERCENTILE_CONT over daily-best per-product-per-day observed in-stock prices

  • Daily-best is MIN(price_per_round) per (caliber, product, UTC day).
  • Only in-stock observations included.
  • Coverage varies by retailer and source.
View 504 tracked .40 S&W products →
Search .45 ACPSearch .40 S&W

Frequently Asked Questions

Is .45 ACP or .40 S&W cheaper?
.45 ACP currently starts at $0.35/rd (per-product midpoint $0.87/rd). .40 S&W starts at $0.26/rd (per-product midpoint $0.58/rd). Prices are observed across tracked online retailers and updated daily.
Should I choose .45 ACP or .40 S&W?
The choice between .45 ACP and .40 S&W depends on your firearm, intended use, and budget. IronScout provides pricing and availability data to help inform your decision — not recommendations. Compare current prices for both calibers on IronScout.

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